I pass this Agave every day, but I first noticed the spike on last Wednesday (May 20). Buds lined the spike. When I passed by it on Thursday afternoon, the flowers were spent, and seed capsules were swelling. It probably flowered at night. It’s not unusual for desert flowers to bloom one day or night and then go to seed. In this case, the blooming was not staggered over a number of days. Instead, all the buds opened at the same time:

Close-up of the towering spike. Notice the seed capsules and spent flowers:

Another Agave. Its flowers are spent. I hadn’t walked down this street for awhile:

These are three species, A, B, and C. B goes by several names. C is a Golden Barrel cactus. I’ve posted both of these for comparison with A.

Only cactus A is flowering right now. It also resembles a barrel like B and C. Other species in the Ferocactus family flower during the summer, though. What is this cactus’s name? I haven’t found a picture of it yet, and the Desert Botanical Garden here in Phoenix is closed because of the COVID-19 virus.

Other names for it are Candy Barrel, Southwestern Barrel, and Arizona Barrel cactus —

C — Golden Barrel cactus (below):

Its growth habit reminds one of a barrel. Thorns have a yellow cast, especially the new ones. The spent flowers have been on the plant since last year. Cottony clumps show where new flowers will blossom. It’s native to Mexico, but it grows well in Phoenix landscaping —

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Photos of a common bird and animal in Phoenix not long after sunrise. Wildlife abounds here, but these are the two that stood still for the camera. Bobcats prowl at night, as do the Javalinas (Peccaries). Coyotes howl and yip and sound like they’re fighting with each other as their nightly “parties” begin. These animals are nocturnal. Birds are abundant. Lizards hide from people. I’ve even seen a non-poisonous snake waiting for the sun to heat it up. But no squirrels.

Mourning Dove. This bird in Phoenix looks and sounds exactly like the Mourning Doves I’m used to in the Midwest: